Wahiawa stream violet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wahiawa stream violet |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Viola (plant)
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| Species: |
helenae
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Viola helenae is a very special and rare flowering plant. It's also known by its common name, the Wahiawa stream violet. This plant belongs to the violet family. It is endemic to Hawaii, which means it grows naturally only there. Specifically, you can find it only in the Wahiawa Mountains on the island of Kauai.
What is the Wahiawa Stream Violet?
The Wahiawa stream violet is a type of small bush. It can grow quite tall, sometimes up to 8 meters (about 26 feet) high! It has long, thin leaves and pretty flowers that are usually pale purple or white.
Why is This Plant in Trouble?
Sadly, the Wahiawa stream violet is an endangered species. This means it is at a very high risk of disappearing forever. Its numbers have dropped a lot since the 1990s.
There are two main reasons why this plant is in danger:
- Introduced Species: These are plants and animals that were brought to Hawaii by people, either on purpose or by accident. Some of these exotic plant species grow very fast and take over the space and resources that the native Wahiawa stream violet needs to survive.
- Feral Pigs: These are pigs that used to be farm animals but now live wild. They can damage the plants and their habitat by rooting around in the soil and eating young plants.
What's Happening to the Wahiawa Stream Violet?
Today, there are only two groups of these plants left. One group was badly hurt by a landslide in 2005. A landslide is when a lot of earth and rocks slide down a mountain. After this event, only a few young plants, called seedlings, and one seed pod were left.
The other group of Wahiawa stream violets has only seven individual plants. Scientists worry that these plants might be "sterile," which means they cannot make seeds to create new plants. Also, this second group is too far away from the first group for them to share pollen and breed with each other. This makes it very hard for the species to recover and grow its numbers.
